Well, the 2015 football season is here. Sure, it will be hot, but at least we have football to watch. Three coaches will debut with their new programs Friday night, including a matchup that pits new coaches versus one another, when Harlem visits Greenbrier. Here is a look at this week’s games.

Evans at Westside

Coaches: Evans: Lemuel Lackey – first season (56-33 in 8 years at Laney) / Westside: Scott Tate – second season (4-6-1 last year)

With both rosters taking significant hits from a year ago, the Lakeside High School Lady Panthers and Greenbrier Lady Wolfpack volleyball teams renewed their rivalry Thursday.

Traditionally two of the area’s top teams, both already looked to be in mid-season form as they battled tooth-and-nail for every point, game and eventually the match. In the end it was the Lady Wolfpack taking home the exciting 3-2 victory, winning 19-25, 32-30, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-9.

Among the Region 2-AAAAA schools in Columbia County in 2015, Grovetown High School is the model of stability.

While other schools have changed coaches or seen their rosters overhauled, the Warriors enter the season with the same coach it’s had since the program began and with a talented group of core returners on both offense and defense.

“A lot of them played last year, we only lost two guys off our offense last year,” said Warriors’ coach Rodney Holder. “Hopefully we’ll be able to see a little bit better upgrade, translation, whatever you want to call it.

The Wolfpack, 2-8 a year ago, saw the majority of their statistical leaders graduate and in the offseason welcomed in Tony Kramer, Evans’ former defensive coordinator, as their third coach in three years.

Acknowledging it will be a youth movement of sorts while expecting big contributions out of his juniors and seniors, Kramer likes the dedication he’s seen.

Evans has ruled Columbia County for two seasons, but the Knights are missing that playoff appearance.

After sweeping fellow Class AAAAA county schools Lakeside, Greenbrier and Grovetown in 2013 and 2014, Evans wants more this year. As the Knights see it, consecutive .500 seasons at 5-5 aren’t good enough.

“We want to come into the game hungry. We play on the team’s levels, but we want to be better than other teams,” senior Derrick Mims said. “We want to play better, faster and stronger.”

While attempting to get back to the South Carolina Independent School Association playoffs after failing to make the postseason for the first time in 20 years, the Augusta Christian Lions will be playing a numbers game.

The Lions will be young in spots and coach Keith Walton said they are not deep in skill positions. However, he likes what he has on the field and thinks they are ready to get back to their winning ways.

Derrick Mims was all over the field for the Evans High Knights in 2014, and don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

“I’ll play corner, safety, linebacker, slot receiver and maybe a little quarterback,” Mims said of his senior season.

As a junior wide receiver, Mims had 11 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 79 yards while adding three more TDs. It could be argued he was even more dangerous to opponents from his defensive backfield spot.

E’Mon Reeves: Augusta Christian senior running back/defensive back. Playing both sides of the ball, Reeves will be Mr. Reliable out of the backfield. He rushed for 741 yards while not at full strength in 2014 and will look to top the 1,000-yard mark this year.

Joseph Shaver: Augusta Preparatory Day School senior wide receiver/defensive back. One of the Cavaliers’ best players on both sides of the ball, look for Shaver to line up in a number of positions offensively a year after he scored five touchdowns while defensively leading the team with three interceptions.